'The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar': Revisiting Dahl thorough Wes Anderson's magic | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Thursday
July 10, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2025
'The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar': Revisiting Dahl thorough Wes Anderson's magic

Splash

Aziz Hakim
05 October, 2023, 10:15 am
Last modified: 05 October, 2023, 10:34 am

Related News

  • Wes Anderson's stunning 'Asteroid City' trailer unites Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson and aliens
  • Wes Anderson shares plot synopsis for new film Asteroid City
  • Netflix in talks to buy children's classics author Roald Dahl's works- Bloomberg News
  • Wes Anderson's 'The French Dispatch' gets a new poster and theatrical release date
  • Family of children's author Roald Dahl apologise for anti-Semitic remarks

'The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar': Revisiting Dahl thorough Wes Anderson's magic

Dahl may be a children’s author but the stories are still a refreshing experience for adults

Aziz Hakim
05 October, 2023, 10:15 am
Last modified: 05 October, 2023, 10:34 am
Photo: Collected
Photo: Collected

Wes Anderson keeps breaking his own style of filmmaking. This time he is back with a bang – four bangs to be exact. It all started with 'The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar', released on 20 September. The short stars three of the most favourite faces of acting – Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Kingsley and Ralph Fiennes and others like Dev Patel, Richard Ayoade and Rupert Friend. 

The 41-minute short is based on British author Roald Dahl's 1977 'The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More' short story collection. The book is generally aimed at a slightly older audience than many of Dahl's other children's novels. which he wrote at different times throughout his life.

Initially, Wes was set to adapt only 'The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar' on the screen and premiere it on Netflix. But fortunately for us, the craftful filmmaker did not stop with Henry Sugar. He adapted three more stories from Dahl's books that are trending on Netflix – the eponymous 'The Swan', 'The Rat Catcher' and 'The Poison'. 

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Dahl may be a children's author but the stories are still a refreshing experience for adults. After all, the once Royal Air Force pilot Dahl, who fought in the Second World War, also became the most beloved author who gave children stories to laugh and enjoy while growing up. Odds are, even you have grown up reading Dahl at some point.

Getting back to the motion picture now. Okay, the pun here is that the film actually takes you back in time to the 4:3 aspect ratio screen days. In a world of IMAX and 8K TVs, the 4:3 aspect ratio of the film would even remind Dahl of the projection screens he grew up watching.

Somehow, these formats of old are making a comeback. In Christopher Nolan's recent WWII epic 'Oppenheimer' huge chunks of the film were shot and screened in the dichromatic [black and white] colours.

Be it for the grown ups, the tongue-in-cheek humour found through the 41-minute run time of the film is to (laugh and) die for, once again showing the jovial inner workings of Dahl's mind. 

But do you remember the gravitus with which Kingsley portrayed Gandhi in Richard Attenborough's eponymous 1982 biopic, Fiennes as the sadistic Nazi officer Amon Goth in the 1993 film Schindler's List and Cumberbatch as the hyper-masculine cattle rancher Phil Burbank in the 2021 Western'The Power of the Dog'? The same actors portrayed rather feather-light acting skills in 'The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar', where Cumberbatch is the rich, eccentric and beguiling Henry Sugar. 

This film is also an ode to old-school stage performances. Mid-acting, the cast changed props and prosthetics. Not only that, the same actors played different roles – just changing into different clothes and voila! They become completely different people. 

The most enchanting aspect of it is how the entire film is based on the actors narrating scenes and their dialogues; often switching between monologues and narration as well. Extensive use of miniatures was there. The transition from set to set was miraculous. 

And what should be said about Wes Anderson's chiaroscuro of colours in a film? A true Anderson fan would just know. 

 

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar / Wes Anderson / Roald Dahl

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Representational image. Photo: Collected
    35% tariff: Bangladesh, US 'agree on most issues' as first day of talks ends
  • How S Alam’s Global Islami Bank cooked Tk2,259cr loss into Tk128cr profit
    How S Alam’s Global Islami Bank cooked Tk2,259cr loss into Tk128cr profit
  • File photo of containers at Chattogram port/TBS
    US buyers push Bangladeshi exporters to share extra tariff costs

MOST VIEWED

  • Graphics: TBS
    BB raises startup fund limit, drops upper age barrier
  • Workers pack undergarments at the packing section of a garment factory in Ashulia, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 19, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Fatima Tuj Johora
    After US tariffs, jobs hang by a thread in Bangladesh's garments sector
  • Global Islami Bank rectifies 2023 figures, reports Tk2,259cr loss instead of Tk128cr profit
    Global Islami Bank rectifies 2023 figures, reports Tk2,259cr loss instead of Tk128cr profit
  • Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur. TBS Sketch
    Audit reports of most banks contain cooked up data: BB governor
  • File photo of containers at Chattogram port/TBS
    US buyers push Bangladeshi exporters to share extra tariff costs
  • CA orders law enforcers to complete all election preparations by December
    CA orders law enforcers to complete all election preparations by December

Related News

  • Wes Anderson's stunning 'Asteroid City' trailer unites Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson and aliens
  • Wes Anderson shares plot synopsis for new film Asteroid City
  • Netflix in talks to buy children's classics author Roald Dahl's works- Bloomberg News
  • Wes Anderson's 'The French Dispatch' gets a new poster and theatrical release date
  • Family of children's author Roald Dahl apologise for anti-Semitic remarks

Features

Women are forced to fish in saline waters every day, risking their health to provide for their families. Photo: TBS

How Mongla’s women are bearing the brunt of rising salinity

15h | Panorama
Dr Mostafa Abid Khan. Sketch: TBS

Actual impact will depend on how US retailers respond: Mostafa Abid Khan

1d | Economy
Thousands gather to form Bangla Blockade in mass show of support. Photo: TBS

Rebranding rebellion: Why ‘Bangla Blockade’ struck a chord

2d | Panorama
The Mitsubishi Xpander is built with families in mind, ready to handle the daily carpool, grocery runs, weekend getaways, and everything in between. PHOTO: Akif Hamid

Now made-in-Bangladesh: 2025 Mitsubishi Xpander

3d | Wheels

More Videos from TBS

Can India stop water flow to Pakistan?

Can India stop water flow to Pakistan?

26m | TBS World
SSC exam results are out today, results will be available via SMS

SSC exam results are out today, results will be available via SMS

1h | TBS Today
Leaked audio: Jinping thought Trump was crazy

Leaked audio: Jinping thought Trump was crazy

12h | TBS World
What can be done to counter the impact of US tariffs?

What can be done to counter the impact of US tariffs?

13h | Podcast
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net